In regards to the article and opinion by Mr. Peters in the Mount Airy News regarding the Beer Garden that has been proposed for the two festivals here in Mount Airy (Mount Airy News editorial, Sept. 19), I have a question and some thoughts for you to ponder.

First, I wonder if any of you have ever ventured outside of this time-warped town to any other festivals or functions in North Carolina cities that have “family oriented events” on their streets where beer and wine is served openly and if you’ve observed how great it can be for everyone!

It’s sad to see comments to the article and opinion written by John Peters, it’s obvious that most everyone in this town thinks if you drink a beer, you’re assumed a drunkard or that you will be drunk. When a person who has a beer or a glass of wine with dinner, while relaxing on a beautiful day on Main Street watching the people pass by or whatever the case may be, and those people are associated with “Drunks stumbling around town” it offends myself and many others.

Not everyone who drinks alcohol does it with the intentions of getting drunk! I assume whomever the folks are that are making thee claim that “everyone doesn’t want this” or “everyone will be offended” have interviewed each and every person that has or ever will attend these future festivals and have come to the conclusion by majority that they have or will find this offensive. If so I would love to see these results.

If I recall correctly, during such festivals in the past few years, Old North State is packed with visitors, enjoying a beer or having a glass of wine in plain view from the street and I haven’t seen a stumbling drunk yet! Please stop trying to keep this town in the last century and please stop associating everyone that has a beer or glass of wine as a drunkard or cast us aside saying we are not portraying a family atmosphere!

And in the mean time, watch Season 3 - Episode 2 of the Andy Griffith Show and see the great and wonderful Andy himself ORDER A BEER! Wake up Mount Airy!

Jeff Leftwich

Mount Airy

Editor’s Note: The article which reported the plans for a beer garden and local reaction was written by staff writer Tom Joyce, not editor John Peters.

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